


Bereft

by lost_frequencies



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-23 18:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17688209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_frequencies/pseuds/lost_frequencies
Summary: Dick hasn't been himself lately. Tim is determined to find out. Post YJ Season 2.





	1. Chapter 1

He promised Alfred he’d get the groceries. It’s the least he could do. He had a list of things he could easily fit into a reusable bag and the store was just several blocks away from Dick’s apartment. Easy peasy. He needed an excuse to leave the mansion anyway while Bruce was brooding away in the Batcave. Times like this, he would rather not stick around and let his anxiety get the better of him. This wasn’t his fault. He’d done nothing wrong to disappoint the man. Right? Perhaps he shouldn’t leave. What if Bruce needed–

“Just go,” said Alfred, urging Tim to make haste as he slipped his credit card into the teen’s back pocket. “Do send my regards to Master Dick.”

Thank goodness he had a spare key. Tim would have knocked but didn’t want to wake his older brother who, according to Alfred, had been under the weather for the past week. That explained why he hadn’t seen Dick around at the Headquarters. He’d been worried sick. And today was the only day he could finally take his leave and pay his brother a visit.

Dick’s apartment was surprisingly well-kept, with not a single clutter in sight. Tim had made his way to the kitchen to unload the contents from the bag: a carton of eggs, two boxes of whole grain cereal, a pack of protein bars, and a bottle of milk.

He took the opportunity to wander around for a bit, taking in the solitude before peering into his brother’s room. Even in the darkness, he could still see the slowly-breathing lump hiding beneath the thick covers.

 _Everything’s okay_ , Tim thought, smiling to himself.  _Everything’s okay._

He didn’t want to wake Dick so he waited in the living room. Two hours passed. Tim hadn’t noticed he’d been sleeping soundly on the couch until the shutter sound from Dick’s phone stirred him awake.

“What the fuck? Did you just take a picture of me sleeping?”

Dick couldn’t suppress his chuckle. “Dude. You were snoring. Really loud. And an ugly sleeper, too. I’m sharing this with the whole–”

“Don’t you dare! Dick! I don’t want Cassie seeing that! Come on!” He lunged at his brother, attempting to snatch the phone away.

“Aw, relaaaax! I was just messing with you. Look. See. It’s gone. Deleted.” Dick grinned. “Oh hey. Did you pay for all of that?” he asked, pointing at the groceries left on the table. “How much do I owe you?”

Tim shook his head. “Alfred did. He gave me his card.”

Dick sighed as he reached for his wallet and pulled out a few notes. “He’s gotta stop doing this. I can take care of myself just fine.”

“You know he’s just going to let me keep the money, right?”

“Then keep it,” insisted Dick. He leapt off the couch, now heading toward the kitchen.

Tim couldn’t help but sense that something was a little off with his brother. “Are you okay? Alfred says you’ve been unwell. The Team’s been…well, we’re all…worried about you.”

“I’m fine,” Dick said, his eyes scanning the contents of the fridge. “Caught a bug last weekend. I’ll be back to a hundred per cent in no time. Are you hungry? Have you had anything to eat before you came here? Let’s order something. Chinese? Thai? Italian? Hm?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Well, I am. My appetite’s back and I’ve been hankering for something…cheesy.”

“Dick.”

“You know what, I’m in the mood for pizza. Let’s order some pizza.”

“Dick! I’m trying to talk to you. I know something’s up. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Silence fell between them. Tim noticed the slight frown forming on his brother’s face. “Tim, I don’t wanna do this right now. I’ll tell you when I’m ready. Okay? Can you stay for dinner? I could really use some company.”

Of course. He’d stay. Tim nodded, feigning a smile at his brother. “Sure. Pizza sounds good.”


	2. Chapter 2

A few bites of his slice of pepperoni pizza and a swig of soda were enough to sate his appetite for the rest of the evening. Tim had been receiving an influx of messages from a concerned Cassie asking why he hadn’t returned any of her calls.

 _Sorry. Family emergency. Will call later_ , was all he could text her back. Tim was seated at the kitchen island while Dick ensconced himself on the couch in front of the television, indulging in his share of warm, gooey, meaty slice of heaven as he watched G. Godfrey Gordon rambling about his latest conspiracy concerning the Justice League.

The Justice League. It was weird seeing Batman on television. Weird seeing the familiar faces, people he’d worked alongside with and had known for the few years since joining the Team. He wondered why Dick could stand to watch this know-it-all pundit spewing nonsense about the very people who had risked their lives to protect the innocent. Then, sure enough, he overheard Dick letting out an annoyed grunt as he reached for the remote control and began switching channels.

Tim looked at his phone again. No response from Cassie. He made a quick check on all his social media accounts. Nothing. No updates from anyone. Not even from Beast Boy who had had over a million followers. And Conner Kent? Who would have known that he’d been quite the active micro-blogger until…he and M’gann split up? His last post was dated two years ago, saying: I’M DONE.

He found himself getting lost in “the endless scroll” of past updates, and then a gallery of selfies with Cassie. He smiled upon stumbling across a picture of that gorgeous sunset over Gotham he’d taken during one of his patrols two years ago. Dick had been there with him. So many memories. So many good times. Then everything changed after Wally West died. Two years ago.

_Two years…_

His phone buzzed with an incoming message from Alfred asking:  _Will you be staying the night at Master Dick’s?_

Tim quirked a brow, his fingers already typing a response:  _I’ll keep an eye on him._

 _I was hoping you would say that_ , replied Alfred.

_How’s Bruce holding up?_

“Timothy!” Dick yelled. “What are you doing back there? Don’t tell me you’re done eating. Come help me finish the last few slices.”

“In a minute.” He checked his phone again. No immediate response from Alfred. Tucking his phone back in his pocket, he leapt over the couch and settled alongside his brother.

“So how was your retreat in Nepal with Bruce?” Dick asked. “You guys were away for some time.”

“Three weeks,” Tim replied. “I don’t know. I guess Bruce needed it more than I did. I milked a goat. That was pretty interesting.”

Dick snorted. “You went to the Himalayas and that was all you could think about? Or were you just mad at Bruce because he wanted to make you change your mind about continuing your relationship with Cassie?”

“I don’t care what he thinks about me and Cassie.”

“Yeah you do. He thinks you’re losing your focus. Tell me I’m wrong.”

Tim frowned. "We’re supposed to be talking about the thing you said we were going to talk about.”

“Not ready, Tim.”

“Dick. I came back to the Team and you weren’t there. I was worried sick. Nobody knew what happened to you. Alfred said the cops found you in some alley and took you to the hospital. You were in a coma for days. What were you doing?”

“You need to chill and quit prodding me for answers. You’re making my head hurt. Seriously, Tim. Another question out of you and I will shove this pizza in your mouth. Can we please go back to being brothers and not care about  _Team stuff_?”

“Fine,” Tim said as he leaned back further in the couch with his arms crossed over his chest. “What are we watching?”

“I don’t know. But I like it.”

“Mind if I stay for the night? I don’t feel like showing my face around at the Manor.”

“Only if you promise to keep your mouth shut.”

Another call from Cassie.

Dick turned to look at Tim, quirking a brow as he waited for his younger brother to answer. “Dude your phone’s buzzing,” he said.

“Not ready, Dick.”


	3. Chapter 3

 

Past midnight and they were done watching the documentary channel.

Tim had a quick shower. He emerged from the bathroom several minutes later, donning his favourite shirt, and his brother's sweatpants that were a little too big on his smaller, thinner physique. They were comfortable so he didn't seem to mind. He was getting ready to lean back and stretch his legs across the couch when he heard Dick calling out to him.

"Yeah?"

"Choose your side of the bed."

Tim pursed his lips in confusion as he's leaning against the bedroom door. "I, uh, would prefer sleeping on the couch?"

"Like it or not, you and I are sharing a bed tonight, buddy. It gets freezing cold in the apartment and this weighted blanket's all I got."

"No extras?"

"I brought some pillows and blankets over to the HQ about a year ago for Conner and the others."

With an inward sigh, Tim reluctantly took his spot on the left side of the bed. "I'd probably up be all night anyway, watching you sleep."

"Creepy, but kind of adorable," Dick said, smirking a little. He noticed Tim was getting a little uncomfortable, perhaps regretting his decision for wanting to stay the night. "Alfred put you up to this, didn't he? You wouldn't have been here if he hadn't told you to check up on me."

"Alfred has every reason to worry. We all do, Dick. And just so you know, I came here at my own accord because I genuinely care about you. I don't need Alfred, or Bruce to tell me what to do. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Alright. I get it. Geez, Tim. Stop being so defensive all the time. I know you care about me. You've got nothing to worry about, okay? I'm gonna be fine. Now try to get some sleep. I'm sure Black Canary's expecting you to show up for training first thing in the morning."

"You know I do have a life outside the Team, right?"

"So no training? What will you be doing then?"

 _Hang out with Cassie. See a movie with Cassie. Make out with Cassie._  "Stuff," he told Dick. "Boring, Tim Drake stuff."

"Okay..." Dick plopped onto the bed, turning the light off. "Well. Good night, nerd."

Tim looked at the glowing screen of his phone. A message from Cassie, saying:  _See you tomorrow, Tim. Love you._

Dick was fidgeting, tossing and turning beside him.

"Are you going to be like this all night?"

"Gah, sorry. I can't...sleep with my clothes on..."

"Dude! Put your pants back on!"

Dick laughed, giving Tim a playful slap on the shoulder. "Kidding! Lighten up a little, will you?"

"Good. Night."

The lights had gone off, but Tim could still hear his brother chuckling in the dark.

 

\--

 

The apartment  _was_  cold. It didn't help that it was raining in Bludhaven. Although Tim wouldn't admit it out loud, he appreciated that he wasn't alone that night. He relished the snugness of the weighted blanket, the warmth of his brother's body and soft snores that sounded unusually soothing; almost like a living, breathing white noise machine he never knew he needed.

He let his mind wander with dishevelled thoughts about Cassie, that college application essay he was supposed to be writing, Bruce, the Team, and a recent nightmare he had about the Joker carving his face. He felt his stomach growl, reminding him about the leftover slices of pizza in the fridge.

"Be careful."

Tim rolled on his side, his eyes fixed on Dick who was shifting restlessly beside him. His brother continued talking in his sleep before getting up, still with his eyes closed. Turning on the bedside lamp, Tim remained silent as he followed closely behind Dick.

Thunder rolled over the city. Raindrops pattering against the large windows of the apartment. Freezing cold. Holy shitballs. Dick wasn't kidding. Tim immediately grabbed his sweater draping over the couch.

The former Robin was leading him to a hidden closet? Dick entered a four-digit password, the door slid open and there it was -- his Nightwing gear and weapons.  

_Is he seriously going on patrol right now? I gotta wake him up. No. That's probably a bad idea. I'll just make sure he doesn't leave the apartment._

While Dick was gearing himself up as Nightwing, Tim stood in the way toward the balcony, making sure his brother could not escape. He grabbed a cushion from the couch, gently nudging him back to the bedroom.

"Go back to bed, Dick. You're creeping me out," Tim whispered sharply at his brother.

Dick halted in front of his bedroom door. "I don't want to leave," he whispered, his voice laced with sadness and regret. "Not without you. We can make this work."

"Who are you talking to, Dick?" Tim asked.

Silence.

"Dick," Tim whispered to his brother again, edging a little closer toward him.

He couldn't tell if his brother's eyes were open or closed behind that mask. But from the way he was behaving, Tim knew that Dick was still in a state of somnambulism.

Tim had never felt this helpless. If only there was a way to rouse his brother without startling him. But before he could decide, Dick had his hand wrapped around his neck. "Dick!" Tim choked, his fingers desperately clawing at his brother's hand, begging to be released. "What...are you...doing??? Let...go..."

"You're in my way!" Dick yelled, shoving the young Robin to the floor. He attempted to make his escape.

Tim struggled to push himself to his feet as he's coughing and gasping for air. Oh, he was pissed. That grip could have killed him if Nightwing hadn't let go. "Guess there's no easy way to do this," he muttered under his breath. He flipped forward and up and over Nightwing, landing into a defensive stance before the balcony. With a cushion as his weapon.

"Dick! I don't know what's going on with you but you need to snap out of it. Now!"

"Get on the Bereft with me, I'm not leaving you like this."

"What?" He watched in confusion as Dick began pressing invisible buttons in the air.

"Preparing to hyperjump, logging coordinates. Timestream  _LD43-29_. Ready when you are, Captain."

"Dick." Tim dropped the cushion, his eyes widening at the sight of his brother...glitching? Nightwing fell to his knees, his body hunched over, trembling as he broke into uncontrollable sobs.

Tim knelt beside his brother, taking the mask off. Thank goodness. Dick's awake, the confusion apparent on his face. "I'm here," reassured Tim as he held his brother closer. "You were having...a really bad dream."

"Did I hurt you?" Dick asked, with tears streaming down his face.

Tim shook his head. "I'm fine," he lied. "You scared me, though."

"I'm sorry, Tim. I didn't mean to--"

"I know."

For a long time, both Robins sat on the floor without saying a word to each other.

"I'm ready to talk about the talk we were supposed to be talking about," Dick spoke, finally breaking the silence between them.

Tim broke out of reverie, a tired smile forming on his lips as he shifted closer toward Dick.

"About time," he said. "I'm all ears."


	4. Chapter 4

At five in the morning, the rain had subsided into a drizzle, leaving the streets of Bludhaven covered in a mess of melting snow. Dick’s apartment was slowly gaining its warmth with the presence of two bodies in the kitchen seated across from each other. One had his fingers wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee while the other was scarfing down the leftover pizza slices he’d just taken out of the oven.

“I’m stress eating,” Tim muttered in between mouthfuls. He shot an annoyed glare at Dick who’d been watching him, but that only made his brother’s amused smirk grow wider. “After everything you’ve told me, and after what had just happened a couple hours ago, you expect me to be all nonchalant about this?”

“I knew you weren’t ready,” Dick said, lifting his mug and taking a few quiet sips of coffee. He was still in his Nightwing costume, his face unmasked. Tim caught his brother staring absently at yesterday’s copy of the Gotham Gazette that was left on the island. He sighed, placing a hand over the papers, forcing Dick to shift his attention back to him.

“Something needs to be done about the hallucinations and the glitches, Dick,” Tim said, his voice heavy with concern. “What can I do to help you get better?”

Dick shook his head and sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes with the back of his hand. “It was an undercover mission gone awry. That’s all it was. And now I’m paying the price for my stupidity. I’m sorry, Tim. There’s nothing you can do about this.”

“Does Alfred know about the–”

“The glitching? I don’t think so. He’s never mentioned anything about it,” Dick muttered. He took another sip from his mug before continuing, “After I was discharged from the hospital, Alfred took me back to the Manor so he could keep a close watch on me. I remember sleeping the days away, only waking up to eat, to use the bathroom, and then going back to bed. Until I started having these…vivid dreams.”

“Dreams about being on a spaceship?”

“A timeship, actually,” Dick corrected. “I was on a timeship with a bunch of pirates. I fought my way up the ranks and became their quartermaster. There was a mutiny. That’s all I can remember. It just feels…like I’m caught in a continuous loop I can’t escape from.”

“Where is LD43-29?” Tim asked.

Dick blinked and tilted his head to the side. “Did you hear me say that?”

“You were punching coordinates and making a jump to Timestream LD43-29. Where exactly is that?”

“I don’t know, Tim. I really don’t. It’s probably just some random numbers my subconscious was blurting out.”

“Could be something. I’m gonna find out.”

“No. Stop.” Dick narrowed his eyes and grabbed Tim by the shoulders. “Listen to me. These aren’t your regular street thugs. They’re Time Pirates; outlaws wielding futuristic weapons that can atomize you in a second. I don’t want you going out there chasing after clues on your own. I’ll never forgive myself if I lose you. Do you understand me?”

Tim nodded. He noticed Dick fixing his gaze on the fresh bruise around his neck.

“I’m so sorry.” His brother pulled him into a tight hug. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, buddy. I fucked up.”

“I-it’s okay, Dick. I’m fine,” Tim said, returning the hug with equal affection. “You’ve been going through a lot. You really should get some rest. I promise I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“You’re not going back to bed with me?”

“Uh, well…actually, I thought I should give Alfred a call. I’m gonna be needing my computer and more clothes _(and my Robin gear and weapons for self-defence in case you try to kill me again)_ since I’ll be staying here for a few more days. If that’s okay with you.”

“You know I always love having you around. Stay as long as you want,” Dick said with a soft smile. He was about to leave the kitchen when he suddenly remembered about those empty bottles of medication sitting on his bathroom sink, “Oh. While you’re at it, would you mind asking Alfred if he could drop by the pharmacy to pick up some stuff for me? He knows what I need.”

“I will,” Tim said, waving his brother off with a slice of half-eaten pizza in his hand. “Go back to bed, Dick.”

“Alright, alright. See you later, kid. Thanks for everything.”

As soon as Dick retreated to his bedroom, Tim whipped out his phone, shooting a quick message to Alfred: _Need you here to keep an eye on Dick. Going out on a mission._


	5. Chapter 5

**Journal Entry #246 - February 14, 2018**

Alfred arrived in Bludhaven at 1030hrs. The list of medication he’d picked up from the hospital pharmacy included Trazodone, Codeine, more painkillers, and some over-the-counter decongestants for the common cold.

Dick has not emerged from his bedroom since our talk in the kitchen this morning.

**[Findings/Important information:]**

After taking a leave of absence from the Team, Dick had been on a deep undercover mission since January 2017. He spent the year attempting to infiltrate a terrorist group who called themselves the  **Buccaneers of the Bereft,** outlaws from the future supplying dangerous weapons to  **Black Mask**.

On January 22 2018, Dick was found severely injured in an alley by Bludhaven police officers. He had been in a coma for almost a week and was under intensive care at the Memorial Hospital. Alfred had taken him back to the Manor after he was discharged on January 31.

Yesterday, I was sent by Alfred to check on Dick and had witnessed a sleep-walking episode in the early hours.

_(Note to self: do not attempt to interact and to always keep a safe distance. Dick is prone to being violent while sleep-walking, as confirmed by Alfred, who had been attacked once.)_

Hallucinations and abnormal glitching most likely side-effects of travelling on a timeship. Dick mentions that his dreams are recurring, as though he is caught in a temporal loop.

**[Things to look into:]**

\- case reports from the Bludhaven Police Department

-  **Timestream LD42-28** , coordinates???

\- The  **Buccaneers**  and  **Black Mask** ’s base of operations

\- research on time-travelling

 

+++

 

**Journal Entry #247 - February 15, 2018**

Alfred made chicken stew last night. Dick was finally up but had little appetite for dinner. He said he was running a fever. I made sure he took his medication and stuck around for a bit to watch the documentary channel with him and Alfred.

Had a brief argument over the phone with Cassie because I forgot about our date on Valentine’s Day.

Dick was in bed before midnight. Went out on patrol at 1230hrs. Hacked into Bludhaven Police Department’s computers to retrieve case reports and possible leads. Procured a list of names and the location where Dick was found near an abandoned warehouse. Did a quick recon of the place. No sign of gang activity.

Returned to Dick’s apartment at 0230hrs. Alfred was still awake. Checked on Dick who was sound asleep. His fever seems to have subsided.

Dick was up at 0340hrs sleep-walking again. Alfred and I observed quietly and guided him away from the balcony. He kept wanting to leave the apartment. He uttered the exact words as he did during the last episode, but the coordinates were different this time.

**TW 34-27.**

_(Note to self: it is possible that he is slowly revealing different sets of coordinates in sequence. My research has led me to the conclusion that time-travelling requires four sets of coordinates to locate a specific event in the universe. My hunch is further confirmed by the scientific journals I’ve retrieved from STAR Labs research portal.)_

Will have to wait and see if Dick reveals the third set of coordinates the following night.

1230hrs: Met Bruce for lunch at a family diner. He didn’t seem keen on meeting Dick at his apartment. Thinks his presence might make things worse. He commended me for being supportive and taking care of Dick while he’s recuperating. He’s aware that Dick hasn’t been his usual self since Wally West’s death.

Bruce is intrigued by my findings concerning  **Black Mask** ’s involvement with the  **Buccaneers**. Handed over the list of names and possible hideouts. Was given clear instructions to stay away from  **Black Mask**  and I had to promise Bruce that I will not be pursuing the case on my own.

As per Bruce’s orders, Alfred confiscated my Robin gear. I was told to work on my college application essay.

Was in a bad mood after my meeting with Bruce. Didn’t work on the essay. Napped for a few hours. Made myself a cold cut sandwich. Napped again.

Dick was up at 1640hrs doing his stretching exercises in the living room. We went out shopping for some new clothes and took a walk at the park on our way back to the apartment.

Meatballs and spaghetti for dinner. Dick’s a pretty good cook! Heavily medicated, he was out cold at 2330hrs on the couch.

Sat through the entire first season of Hotel Hell with Dick snuggled up against me.

Still couldn’t work on that essay.

Haven’t heard from Cassie since the argument.

Bless you, Lord Alfred Pennyworth for the space heater. Apartment’s all nice and toasty now.

 

+++

 

**Journal Entry #248 - February 16, 2018**

Third set of coordinates revealed:  **XB 34-56**.

Dick was up at 0340hrs, at the same time, doing the same thing. No glitching, though. He would always end up sobbing and then waking up bewildered. I spent the morning holding him because he didn’t want to be alone.

Skipped classes today. Had last night’s dinner for breakfast.

Told Dick to go easy on his medication but he said it’s the only thing that’s keeping him from thinking about his failed mission.

**[Findings/Important Information:]**

Coordinates Revealed:  _LD42-28, TW 34-27, XB 34-56_

 **Black Mask**  has expanded operations beyond Gotham and Bludhaven. He’s selling weapons to a secret society of crime lords supplied by the  **Buccaneers of the Bereft**.

Batman, Black Canary and Green Arrow succeeded in foiling their operations in three separate locations: Gotham City, Bludhaven and Star City.

The  **Buccaneers**  have been brought to Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary. 

 **Black Mask**  is still at large.

Bruce requested the series of coordinates I’ve noted down since February 14. He commended I’ve been a great help to the Justice League and insisted I stay put and keep an eye on Dick.

No problem.

 

+++

 

**Journal Entry #249 - February 17, 2018**

I fucked up.

Dick left the apartment while I was asleep on the couch.

I missed the fourth set of coordinates and he’s nowhere to be found.

Batman’s on the prowl and Alfred’s driving around the city looking for him.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I was so close.

So close to cracking this.

_(Note to self: Don’t be a smartass. Don’t let compliments get to your head. Don’t congratulate yourself too soon. Bad things happen when you do!)_

_Fuck._


End file.
